Beautiful Habitat

Dining Room Project | Repurposed Table

May 16, 2013  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in Antiques, Beautiful Habitat, Before and After, contemporary, creative, Custom, Denver, Designer's Home, Entertaining, Flooring, furniture, recycle, sustainable, table, Upcycle, upholsteryNo Comments

A little over a year ago, I gave our dining room an update. I cannot believe that I have not yet shared the results with you! Life, it seems, has been far too hectic. But I’m here now to share the process, inspiration and results of this make-over. I hope you enjoy!

Flooring Repurposed as Table

In 2008, we replaced a wood floor with tile in the kitchen. This flooring change was done to expand the kitchen nook by several square feet and because the flooring and cabinets were too similar in color and we desired a bit more contrast.

Interior Designer Colorado

I kept the wood for 4 years, waiting for inspiration to strike. I knew I would dream up a clever way to reuse this wood…someday.

Custom Furniture Design

Eventually Inspiration struck in the from of a repurposed table top. I found this image on Pinterest and the idea took off from there.

Repuposed wood table

To bring this vision to life, I contacted  my favorite custom furniture Designer and Builder in Colorado: Ryan Schlaefer Fine Furniture. Ryan went to work on the details of the design.

The completed table is lightly distressed and has a grayed, slightly weathered finish. The herringbone pattern is beautiful! I could not have been happier with the result. Thanks, Ryan!

Custom Furniture Design

Giving New Life to Vintage Chairs

As the Dining Room started with upcycling, I thought I’d continue with an environmentally conscious room. Instead of buying new chairs, I found a unique set of metal neoclassical revival chairs on 1st Dibs. The chairs are circa 1950′s and are cast metal, allowing the lines of the chairs to curve and taper in a way that carved wood could not, yet has details to mimic carved wood.

Repurpose Vintage Funiture

I immediately loved the lines of the chairs. The pea green paint and silk fabric were a bit “easter egg” for my taste. Instead, I opted for black paint with silver highlights and a combination of fabrics from Kravet and Osbourne & Little.

Creative Interior Design Solutions

The new Dining Room!

I love the final results and look forward to seeing these beautiful pieces in the dining room of the new house soon.

Interior Designer Denver CO

Interior Designer Boulder

Do you have a story about creatively repurposing or upcyling products in your home? Share with us here or on Facebook.

Designer’s Home | Welcome to My New Digs

April 9, 2013  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in Bathroom, Beautiful Habitat, Before and After, Colorado, Designer's Home, kitchen, lighting, Master Suite, Renovation2 Comments

The Wood Household and Beautiful Habitat headquarters are moving! We are staying in the North Denver area, moving from Broomfield to Westminster. The new house has beautiful bones, but the finishes are looking pretty sad. I’m looking forward to giving this beauty the updates she deserves. I’m an Interior Design junkie and I’ve just taken possession of my own home rehab dream.

The renovations are just getting underway. But before too much is changed, I’d like to introduce you to the home in it’s current state. Welcome to the new home!

Foyer

Before rennovations

Before Inteior Design work

The foyer really isn’t in terrible shape.  Expect to see new flooring, lighting, paint and decor (these pieces don’t belong to me…).

Kitchen

The kitchen is a bit sad and the first area slated for work. White kitchens are classic and often work so well. However, I’ve decided to spice this one up with some new cabinetry that will not be white.

Kitchen Before

Kitchen Before Interior Design Work

These appliances are original – circa early 1990′s and are going away.

Kitchen Before

The kitchen has a great large window. Who could complain about a nice view and all the natural light while in the kitchen?!

Dining Room

Dining Room Before Makeover

The dining room has beautiful wood work and details. The red paint, faux marble painted ceiling and light don’t do it for me. Look for fun changes here. I have a beautiful custom table by Ryan Schlaefer Fine Furniture in Loveland, Colorado. I can’t wait to get it into this room.

Powder Room

Powder Room Before Bathroom Design

Why, yes, that IS a pink toilet with a wood seat and that IS a counter top with an integrated seashell design sink. Jealous, are you?

Laundry Room

Lanudry Room Before Renovation

This is perhaps one of the most depressing laundry rooms I have ever seen. Doing laundry is a depressing enough affair on it’s own. This just makes me sad – and the entry from the garage goes through this room. I know I can’t come home to this every day. I am really going to have some fun with this room.

Master Bathroom

I saved the best for last. Feast your eyes on this pink, black and gold beauty! I am so excited to get my hands on this room. Unfortunately it’s not slated for work for a couple of months. This is going to make for a dramatic before & after.

Bathroom Before Interior Designer Takeover

Bathroom Before Makeover

 Stay tuned for updates on the progress and the Home Tour after all of the renovations. I’ll have posts here and on Facebook. I hope you’ll find some inspiration for your own home!

Master Bedroom Design
Custom Bedding and Drapery Design
Fresh Bedroom Makeover

Two-Toned Kitchens | Love it or Leave it?

March 12, 2013  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in Beautiful Habitat, Entertaining, kitchen, Love it or Leave It, paint2 Comments

Whether it be different colors for Base cabinets and Wall cabinets or switching up the color for the island, kitchens with multiple colors of cabinetry are all around. Do you love it, or would you leave it?

Custom Kitchen Design

via Better Homes & Gardens

Kitchen Design in Denver CO

via Beautiful Habitat

Interior Design & Decoration

via Pinterest

Kitchen Designer Boulder CO

via Home Bunch

Full Service Interior Design Colorado

via Pinterest

Custom Kitchens and Design

via Southern Living

Contemporary Interior Designer

via The Marion House Book

 

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Fresh Bedroom Makeover
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Beach Bathroom Quick Makeover

January 31, 2013  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in bath, Bathroom, Beach, Beautiful Habitat, Before and After, Coastal, DIY, lighting, Spa, Window Treatment, yellowNo Comments

Fun beach theme bathroom

As I mentioned last week in How Do You Spa?, for many years my friend and I would frequent a spa with a coastal/beach theme. In many ways I associate a beach theme with relaxation and pampering. When there was an opportunity to create a beach theme in one of my bathrooms, I did, but I added more fun than spa.

This is a bonus 3-piece bathroom in our home. It’s a bonus in that we don’t need the extra shower on this floor, but we do use it more as a powder room.

Bathroom Design Broomfield COBeautiful Habitat

The beach theme all started with the things we inherited in the house – a simple vanity and shower tiled in travertine.

Bathroom Designer in DenverBeautiful Habitat

The jumping off point for a beach theme came from the Travertine tiles, which reminded me of sand.

High end Interior Design Finishes

The builder-basic mirror and lights were beyond boring and there was nothing beachy, relaxing, or fun in them.

Creative Interior Design SolutionsMy first order of business was to add interest to the lighting. I painted the basic fixture silver with a can of spray paint and creatively engineered the galvanized buckets over the glass. TaDa – Beach lighting! I added colorful accessories which, together with the fun new lighting, take the focus off of the boring, frameless mirror.

Interior Designer Boulder COBeautiful Habitat

The toilet has it’s only little nook, which also needed a little something beach-inspired. My vision was to build a mini beach hut in the nook out of corrugated metal. I envisioned the corrugated metal behind the toilet and wrapping around the 2 sides, with a sloped roof  and a marine-inspired light. These photos are a bit of the inspiration.

Interior Designer ColoradoCreative Interior Design ColoradoWhile I was getting the toilet-nook-beach-hut design in order, I did install one piece of corrugated metal wall treatment behind the toilet as a place holder, along with a beach print we picked up on a trip to St. Thomas. (Now just envision the metal wrapping around and above – so much fun)

Bathroom DesignerYou’ll notice that I refer to the toilet plan in past-tense. It “was” because we are now moving. I’m a little sad that my toilet beach hut will never be realized. it was going to be adorable. However, I’ve enjoyed the beach bathroom for the last 5 years. it was a quick and easy makeover to an otherwise bland space.

Have you done anything fun in your space? Share your fun rooms with us here or on Facebook.

Fresh Bedroom Makeover
Bedroom Accessories
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How do you “Spa”?

January 23, 2013  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in bath, Bathroom, Beautiful Habitat, Coastal, Spa1 Comments

I am in the early phases of a bathroom redesign with a long-time client. She has a hard time defining what she likes. Thankfully we’ve worked together before, so I have a good feel for her style already. This time we are working on the master bathroom.

In our first meeting, she said she wants a “Spa-like Bathroom”. Designers will tell you that is the most common request in all of design. The problem is, when we all say “spa-like bathroom”, we each have a different image of that meaning in our head. So now I have assigned homework to my client: define your spa. What does a “Spa” mean to you? And I thought, I’d love to know how my readers define their dream spa. So how do you spa?

Nature

For many people, “spa” inspires images of nature. Seems simple, enough. However, images of nature vary so much by your locale, your idea of comfort. Does it mean ocean, does it mean texture? Is that texture wood, stone? Here are nature inspired bathrooms. Do they say “spa” to you?

Bathroom Desigher Boulder Coloradovia Rumah Tropika

Custom Bathroom Designvia Houzz

Ocean, Beach, Coastal

For others, “spa” is a very coastal feeling. For years, my bestie and I would frequent a spa in Boulder Colorado that had a very beachy, Nantucket feel. For a long time, my “spa” meant beach feel, with a blue and sand color palette, weathered wood and marine-inspired light fixtures. I even designed a beach bath in my own home. I’ll share soon (can’t believe I’ve never shared it before!)

Interior Design in ColoradoBathroom Design in Denver ColoradoSpa Bathroom DesignImages via Apartment Therapy

Simplicity, Calm, Zen

And still for others, “spa” means a calm and serenity. It’s about simplicity in lines and colors. This is more where my “spa” leans today, although I do still have a soft spot for the beach while we are land-locked in Colorado.

Interior Decoration in Coloradovia Canadian House & Home

Master Suite Interior Designvia Elle Decor

Meditative

And for others, “spa” takes on a spiritual element and may include a meditation space.

Interior Designer

Interior Design for every space in your Colorado homeImages via Pinterest

How do you “spa”? What elements define a “Spa-like Bathroom” for you?

Want to create a Spa feel, without a complete overhaul of your bathroom? Here are some quick tips to add a Spa atmosphere to your bathroom.

Custom Bedding and Drapery Design
Fresh Bedroom Makeover
Master Bedroom Design

Things I Really Love About My House

October 15, 2012  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in Bathroom, Beautiful Habitat, ColoradoNo Comments

For starters, I agree with Tad Carpenter in his statement “What I love most about my home is who I share it with”. Without my family, I won’t be happy in any dwelling. But I also love elements of the physical structure we call home and that’s what I’d like to discuss today.HomeUnfortunately we all do it – focusing on the things we don’t have, how the grass is always greener. I am guilty as charged. Because my passion is interiors and interior design, often my discontent will focus on our home and the changes I’d like to make or the shortcomings I see.

Then began discussions of moving…. And suddenly I had a surge of pride and defensiveness about our home – our beautiful habitat. When faced with leaving it, I had a new found appreciation and love of it. In the inventory of pros and cons about staying and going, I’ve identified things I really love about this house.

Let’s back up a moment. I define two categories of changes in residential design: surface and structural. Obviously structural changes are the big and expensive changes: kitchen or bath renovation, (re)moving a wall, adding a window, an addition, etc. Surface changes, on the other hand, run a wide spectrum from paint or decorating to minor renovations. This distinction is important because it’s a lot easier to love your home if you love the structure. Surface design and decoration changes are generally going to be easier.

So what are the things I really love about my home? You may be surprised that they are two relatively simple structural elements.

First, the design of the foyer and overall entry into the home. In Colorado, at least, the majority of homes built in the last 20 years have the entry from the garage into the home go through a mudroom and/or the laundry room. This is logical in many ways. A family can dump coats, bags, shoes, mail, etc. into this all-purpose space before entering the main body of the home. My home doesn’t have this. Instead, the garage entry is next to the front door entry… and I love it! I love it because every day I am greeted with the same warm, welcoming greeting that we’ve created for guests. I’m not entering through some grubby back entry like the servant. In my opinion, it’s a better and more uplifting way to come home.

Boulder Colorado Interior DesignInterior Designer DenverIt’s just smart and efficient design.

My second great love of this home – the master bedroom toilet room. Yes, I said I love the toilet room (aka water closet). Again, over the past 20 years we’ve seen the toilet become compartmentalized into it’s own space to create more privacy and allow more comfort with multiple users of the bathroom. Why is my toilet room special? Someone had the foresight to add a linen closet in the toilet room. First, its a great idea to keep medications and cleaning products out of the general linen closet for the safety of children. Secondly, let’s be honest that we need access to products while in the water closet. Adding a linen closet is convenient and brilliant.

It’s a bit awkward to photograph my WC. Instead, I drew up a quick floor plan to better illustrate the genius behind this design.

Bathroom Design Colorado

What do you love about your home? Please share with us. Perhaps by combining our favorites we could create the ultimate dream home.

P.S. Despite my loves, we have decided to move. Stay tuned to Beautiful Habitat and you’ll be privy to the changes and interior design and decoration at the new home. Want a sneak peek? I’ve started an Inspiration Board on Pinterest.

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Chandeliers in the Bedroom

September 5, 2012  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in Beautiful Habitat, bedroom, Crystal, lighting1 Comments

While chandeliers in the past could often be found in extremely formal bedrooms, we are seeing a welcome trend of chandeliers in the bedroom across all styles and levels of formality. We love the new breed of lighting which adds a unique element to today’s bedrooms. Below, we’ve gathered some of our favorite bedroom chandeliers which will hopefully inspire lots of ideas for including them in your own bedroom décor.

(via)
A beautiful drum shade encloses a crystal chandelier hung at the foot of the bed. The crisp white of the light and the bedding give this bedroom a fresh, sophisticated look.

                                                                         (via)
This lovely, romantic bedroom features not just one but two crystal pendants flanking the bed. Not only do they provide a warm ambiance but they also give off enough light for reading and relaxing in bed.

                                                                             (via)
A luxurious traditional guest room boasts two crystal-tiered chandeliers above each twin bed centered with the two small windows for a symmetrical element.

                                                                               (via)
A large brass chandelier hangs in the center of this elegant bedroom. Additionally, recessed lights and table lamps were added for sufficient lighting at the head of the bed.

 

                                                                             (via)
A large crystal laden fixture hangs at the foot of the bed giving a sophisticated sparkle to a contemporary bedroom. A swing arm lamp sits at the side of the bed for extra lighting.

 

                                                                         (via)
This seaside cottage bedroom boasts a pretty shell fixture above a sitting area in this large master suite. It provides a warm glow instead of direct lighting.

 

                                                                                 (via)
This large master suite designed by Beautiful Habitat features a silver chandelier in the room’s center with additional swing arm lights by the bed.

 

                                                                           (via)
Gorgeous waterfall chandeliers flank a luxuriously appointed bed in this chic contemporary bedroom. What a lovely place to dive into and relax after a long day!




Love it or Leave it | The Kitchen Desk

September 4, 2012  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in Beautiful Habitat, Entertaining, kitchen, Love it or Leave It, Work SpaceNo Comments

The built-in kitchen desk. A large number of homes built in Colorado over the last 20+ years include the built-in kitchen desk. I’m curious to know how many people really utilize this space. Do you use it, or does it accumulate the family stuff? Is it a valuable resource and organization tool that you’d hate to part with? Would you rather the desk be converted into a pantry, second oven, sink, or other space that you might use more? The built-in kitchen desk: Do you love it or would you leave it?

Kitchen Design Denver Coloradovia Pinterest

My husband and I had a kitchen desk in our first home and never really used it. We also had no kids and, being newly married, very little “stuff”. Our flat in London and our current home are both without the desk. I don’t miss the desk, so that qualifies me as a “leave it” girl.

However, I recently had a client that went from a desk home to a no desk home. It was a big concern for her, so we’ve added a desk into the plan. In the floor plan below, we added a desk/console behind the sofa to add the workspace that she had lost from her previous kitchen. She is obviously on the “love it” side of this debate.Kitchen Floor Planvia Beautiful Habitat

With another client, who didn’t need a work space, but does entertain frequently, we changed the desk in to the beverage station/bar for parties.The wall cabinets are stocked with glasses and spirits. The base cabinets include overflow wine bottles.

Kitchen Designer Denver COvia Beautiful Habitat

The photo below is a home where they took this idea to the next level and converted the desk to a full wet bar. Clever!Kitchen Design Boulder Coloradovia Pinterest

 The built-in kitchen desk. Do you love it or would you leave it?

Custom Kitchen DesignColorado Interior Designervia Pinterest

How do you you use your kitchen desk? If you don’t use it, have you converted it to a space that is more useful to you? Share your ideas and photos here or on facebook.

 

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Things You Should Know About Architectural Salvage

April 3, 2012  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in Accessories, art, Beautiful Habitat, Boulder, creative, Denver, DIY, Doors, Dramatic, furniture, lighting, local, recycle, Salvaged, sustainable, Uncategorized, VintageNo Comments

I am currently working on a very fun and interesting project that involves both Architectural Salvage and Commissioning Custom Furniture. Before embarking on both aspects of this project, I came across two wonderful articles from Colorado Homes and Lifestyles Magazine. Here are 10 Things You Should Know About Architectural Salvage, as printed in Colorado Homes & Lifestyles.

Architectural Salvage Treasures10 Things you Should Know About Architectural Salvage: (via Colorado Homes & Lifestyles, with a few additional notes and photos from Beautiful Habitat)

  1. It’s a fun way to go green. When you buy salvaged building materials you’re not only scoring conversation-worthy accents for your home; you’re also diverting materials from the landfill and minimizing the use of raw materials.
  2. Don’t expect perfection. “The reason these pieces are charming and interesting is that they’re obviously recycled—meaning they’re not perfect,” says Eron Johnson, owner of Denver’s Eron Johnson Antiques. Tip: Have a furniture restorer coat any pieces of peeling paint with clear paste wax, which maintains the antiquity of the piece but gives it a smooth finish, Johnson says.
  3. Beware of “too good to be true.” There are a lot of architectural salvage knockoffs out there, warns Johnson—particularly when it comes to marble fireplaces, stained glass and iron work. If the price is too good to be true (as in, considerably less than every other piece you find), it probably isn’t the real thing.
  4. Know what you need. If you’re shopping for pieces that need to serve a function (doors that operate, etc.), bring along a notepad filled with the measurements and quantities you need and pictures of items you want to match, says Tom Sundheim, owner of Queen City Architectural Salvage in Denver.
  5. Find new uses for old items. “The beauty of architectural salvage is it frees an antique from its former use,” says Johnson. Iron garden gates can become decorative headboards; wooden window frames act as room dividers; and an old weathervane emerges as the perfect accent for your mantel. (or lamp bases as seen below, BH)Interior Decorator Boulder Colorado
  6. Be open to doors. Shopping for antique doors means having an eye for “quality beneath the paint,” says Sundheim. “Know which woods are heaviest. A pine door will weigh far less than a comparable oak door.” If you need the door to function, pony up for a heavier door. Also, for newer homes, understand that you may have to reframe openings to accommodate taller antique doors, Johnson says.
  7. Hit up the hardware section. You might have a hard time finding enough matching knobs and drawer pulls to outfit, say, a whole kitchen. But unearth a few antique pulls (they can even be mismatched) for the right dresser or accent table, and you’ve got a statement piece.Custom Interiors Denver Colorado
  8. Let there be light. If you live in a historic home, says interior designer Beth Armijo of Armijo Design Group, one of the best ways to honor the architecture is to install period-appropriate light fixtures. But, adds Johnson, remember two important safety tips: have an electrician update the wiring and, for pendants, reinforce the ceiling box. (Most antique fixtures are solid brass and heavier than modern fixtures.)
  9. Dig around for your garden. A trip to the salvage yard can yield curios perfect for your outdoor living spaces, too. Look for stone statues or pillars, cast-iron park benches, weathered farm tables, or even vintage bathtubs (great for birdbaths).
  10. Try DIY salvage. Someone just might love that pale-pink tub you’re tearing out of your master bathroom. Before you haul it off to the landfill, consider selling your relics online, or, even better, donating them to ReSource Yard (resourceyard.org), a nonprofit with salvage yards in Boulder and Fort Collins. Sale proceeds benefit waste-reduction programs and donations are tax deductible.Reuse, Recycle in Colorado Design

My adventures in Architectural Salvage took me to the ReSource Yard in Boulder and Queen City Salvage in Denver. I also perused the Eron Johnson website (which is a great site and user-friendly). Ultimately, I am repurposing some wood that used to be a kitchen floor and I  purchased dining chairs on 1stDibs. My adventures continue as I am planning another visit to Queen City for a new art idea I have. Stay tuned for more stories on this interior design project, coming soon.

For additional inspiration in salvage and recycling, check out the post on 23rd Ave Sculpture in Denver. This is scrapyard meets art studio, where old metal is turned into art, furniture and more for your home and garden.

To read the full post, or other “10 Things You Should Know… articles, visit Colorado Homes & Lifestyles.

Do you have treasures that you’ve salvaged or recycled? Share with us here or on Facebook.

Custom Bedding and Drapery Design
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Bedroom Accessories
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Banquettes | The Built-ins

March 8, 2012  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in Banquette, Beach, Beautiful Habitat, Dining, Dramatic, Entertaining, kitchen, upholstery, walls1 Comments

Last week I wrote about using sofas, loveseats, settees and benches as banquettes. This week I pay homage to the built-in banquettes. Enjoy!

I’ll start with 2 photos from Candice Olson. This dramatic red velvet tufted banquette that goes right up to the ceiling is the banquette that started my obsession. I have a wall that would be PERFECT for such a grand statement. It’s the dining room and the first wall you see when entering our home – the place to make a statement.

Candice Olsen Dining RoomAlas, The wall has multiple light switches and an air-intake that make reconfiguring electrical and HVAC for such a built-in banquette very costly. I’ve repaired my broken heart and now I’m searching for the perfect sofa, loveseat or settee per last week’s banquette post. Still, I enjoy and envy the built-in banquette. I hope you enjoy this collection and find inspiration for your own home!

Custom Built-in Interior DesignCandice Olson

Interior Designer Denver Coloradosource unknown

Interior Decorator Boulder Coloradovia Houzz

Interior Decorator Denver Coloradovia House of Turquoise

Kitchen Design Boulder Coloradovia Luxe & Lillies

Interior Designer Boulder Coloradovia HGTV

Modern Interior Design Denver Coloradovia Absolutely Beautiful Things

Kitchen Designer Denver Coloradovia Tell Your Interior Designer

For more banquette inspiration, check out these posts:

Do you love banquettes? Check out my collection of banquette inspiration on Pinterest. Do you have a banquette? I’m jealous and would love to see it! Please share photos with us on Facebook.

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